


Book Commentary: Other

by mlmcg12



Series: Book Blog Transcripts [32]
Category: Other Trilogy (Karen Kincy)
Genre: Cross-Posted on WordPress, F/M, Spoilers, There's a right way and a wrong way to do racism and homophopbia metaphors and this is the wrong way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mlmcg12/pseuds/mlmcg12
Summary: See also https://mmcgui12sbookblog.home.blog/
Series: Book Blog Transcripts [32]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123052





	Book Commentary: Other

  * So, right off the bat, not shapeshifting makes Gwen sick. That’s a fun image.
  * And apparently this is a parallel universe where the struggles of the paranormal community is a metaphor for racism and homophobia/biphobia/etc. That’s… a lot.
  * This description of Gwen about to shapeshift doesn’t sound sexual at all…
  * Gwen’s a horse now. Lovely.
  * “I hate having to sneak around like a pervert.” Wait, what the fuck?
  * And now she’s an owl?
  * So, the paranormal community experiences racism towards them, but the paranormal community is racist within their own community towards the werewolves. That’s lovely.
  * Now Gwen’s loosely comparing how she keeps herself from shapeshifting then binge shapeshifting to an eating disorder. That’s… very bad.
  * So, apparently Gwen’s mom had a sketchy relationship with Gwen’s birth dad, who was a pooka. Also, apparently they’re Welsh, the mom and the bio dad?
  * And here’s a few awkward “coming out” metaphors.
  * Apparently “Mum’s sketchy relationship with a pooka” translates to “one-night stand.” And it caused a rift between her and her family. Fun.
  * So, Gwen’s bitchy towards her younger half-sister just for the sake of being bitchy towards her, because, hey, why not keep that trope going? Especially because the half-sister’s completely human?
  * Gwen apparently has a girl-who-cried-wolf reputation when trying to figure out who else in town is paranormal… which is why she can’t get anyone to believe her about the werewolves without saying “yeah, I shapeshifted again last night.”
  * And here’s another lovely moment of Gwen hating on her sister for no reason because she’s a nerdy kid who actually likes school even though it’s summer vacation.
  * Gwen’s got a blog called “Premeditated Snarkiness” and a username called “black-magic.” She uses it for talking about paranormal issues and ranting about people using bad grammar. I’m getting “edgy teen” vibes meets “bad social justice warrior stereotypes” vibes.
  * “…but they do have a midnight Vampire Pride Parade every year in Seattle.” Hooray for more shoehorning in LBGT+ issues.
  * So, apparently in this universe, not only can you be turned into a werewolf by the usual biting method, but LYCANTHROPY IS ALSO AN STD? What. The. Actual. Fuck.
  * Oh, right. Have I mentioned that this whole thing takes place in a small town in Washington and has a bit of a _Twilight_ ripoff feel (now that I think about it)?
  * Of course Gwen has to deal with anonymous online hate because of course she does.
  * One of Gwen’s online friends is described as looking like a Japanese Johnny Depp. ???
  * So, a few things from this email from Gwen’s boyfriend Zack: One, Zack’s already turning out to be a huge geek stereotype. Two, Gwen’s apparently short for Gwenhwyfar because _of course she has to have the Official Original Welsh Spelling of Guinivere_. Given that Gwen’s mom’s Welsh, it’s not quite as bad as that online trend of white girls giving their babies really ridiculous spellings of common names, but it still gives off an unnecessarily edgy vibe.
  * Gwen’s mom apparently is a programmer for a small computer game dev team (whose focus changed from monster-killing RPGs to more family-friendly fantasy RPGs because politically correct). 
    * A small game dev team in a small town in Washington? Whose focus changed? *Starts glaring at Her Interactive and their sudden change from working on creating _Midnight in Salem_ (in an effort to continue their already popular _Nancy Drew_ series) to work on that poorly-done _Codes and Clues_ spinoff and to promote other dev teams’ games.*
  * Oh, fun. Zack’s apparently some rich boy… AND HIS PARENTS ARE SOME OF THOSE OVERLY-PREACHY WHITE CHRISTIANS. Oh… Oh no…
  * Please stop with the overly cheesy sappy romance…
  * So, dragons are one currently extinct paranormal group because of all those old stories about knights in shining armor killing them all.
  * Apparently Gwen hasn’t told Zack or his family about her shapeshifting abilities because she’s worried about approval. Yet another fun “staying in the closet” metaphor.
  * Gwen’s got a small clover tattoo on the back of her neck. I don’t mind characters having tattoos, but why didn’t this get brought up during the bit where Gwen stripped to shapeshift? Does having tattoos (or scars) affect fur/feather/scale color patterns of anyone who shapeshifts? That would’ve been a cool plot point. Or just a cool way to differentiate the shapeshifting characteristics in this universe to other series that include shapeshifters.
  * No, seriously. Stop with the cheesy romance and weird sexual innuendo. What even is this part with Gwen giving Zack a hickey?
  * Yeah, on Goodreads, I’m not going to be listing this as a favorite anymore. I’m switching it to the tag I’ve got for the nostalgia is better than the book, if that makes sense.



**Author's Note:**

> See also https://mmcgui12sbookblog.home.blog/


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